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White Sox Sign Top International Prospect, Cuban OF Yoelqui Céspedes

CHICAGO (CBS/AP) -- Even as they've set their sights on a championship run by fortifying their rotation, bullpen, and outfield this offseason, the White Sox also have bolstered their talented prospect pool by signing Cuban outfielder Yoelqui Céspedes.

The White Sox agreed announced Friday they had agreed to terms with Céspedes, who is rated the No. 1 international prospect by MLB Pipeline. The deal includes a $2.05 million signing bonus.

Céspedes, 23, is the younger half-brother of free agent outfielder Yoenis Céspedes.

The younger Céspedes has played four seasons for Granma in the Cuban Serie Nacional (Cuban National Series), the top-level league in Cuba.

The 5-foot-9, 200-pound outfielder hit .287/.351/.415 with 35 doubles, 10 triples, 12 home runs, 98 RBI, 114 runs scored, and 14 stolen bases in 226 career games with Granma. A two-time Cuban Serie Nacional champion, he helped Granma win the league title in 2017 and 2018.

"Yoelqui has worked extremely hard to put himself in this situation," White Sox special assistant to the general manager Marco Paddy said in a statement. "He has the ability to play all three outfield positions with above average defense, line-to-line hitting ability with power to all fields and running instincts to steal and stretch singles into doubles."

Céspedes, who bats and throws right-handed, hit .319/.355/.389 with five doubles, seven RBI and four runs scored over 21 games in 2018-19, his final season with Granma.

The White Sox expect additional international signings in the coming weeks. According to published reports, they're also expected to sign right-handed pitcher Norge Vera of Santiago, Cuba, who who is rated the No. 15 international prospect by MLB Pipeline.

Coming off their first postseason appearance since 2008, the White Sox have been busy since the final out of their Wild Card Series loss to the Oakland Athletics.

They replaced manager Rick Renteria with Hall of Famer Tony La Russa, who won a title with the Oakland Athletics and two more with the St. Louis Cardinals, 34 years after the White Sox fired him in 1986.

Chicago also acquired Lance Lynn from Texas in a trade for rookie Dane Dunning, adding a durable frontline starter to go with Lucas Giolito and Dallas Keuchel. And the White Sox signed outfielder Adam Eaton, who helped Washington win the World Series in 2019, for a second stint after trading him to the Nationals in a package that brought back Giolito, Dunning, and Reynaldo Lopez.

Also on Friday, the White Sox announced they had signed former Oakland Athletics closer Liam Hendriks to a four-year $54 million contract.

(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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